Everything You Need to Know About RTP in Online Gambling

If you use online casinos every now and then, you’ve probably seen the term RTP somewhere. No worries, it’s nothing complicated – RTP stands for Return to Player.

It comes in the form of a percentage which represents the average return after waging 100 units. If a casino game has 97% RTP, on average it pays back $97 for every $100 wagered. 

Of course, we’re talking about games of luck here, meaning RTP is never guaranteed. It’s the average return; emphasis on average. There are no guarantees in online slots or other casino games. 

Importance of Understanding RTP

But, if RTP doesn’t guarantee anything, why is it important? Or, better yet – why are there so many RTP gambling guides out there? Return to player percentages have to be important, right?

Well, it’s kind of complex. On its own, RTP only gives players the information on just how much a game pays out (on average) for every $100 wagered. It’s valuable information, but it doesn’t really provide much value until you check out other game characteristics too.

By that, I’m referring to bet options, multipliers, and volatility in general.

While these differences in RTP percentages can seem like nothing, they add up substantially over several weeks, months, and years.

No matter how you look at it, understanding RTP and choosing high-RTP games will help your budget in the long run.

If you’re all about profitability, then RTP has to be one of the first things you check out when browsing for a new casino game to play.

How to Find RTP on Winz.io

Finding the RTP percentages of casino games at Winz.io is a piece of cake. Simply head on over to the Slots section to open up our vast collection of slots.

You’ll see game icons with names underneath each of them. Right next to the names you’ll see an Info icon. Click on it and you’ll see all relevant information on the game, including the provider, RTP, and volatility.

Here’s what it looks like:

As you can see from this example, the game in question is Razor Shark by Push Gaming. Its RTP is 96.7% and it has a high volatility due to its base game and bonus mechanics. No worries, I’ll address all those terms later on.

For now, let’s focus on how RTP actually works!

How RTP Works

Even though we’ve already explained the basics in the intro, we’ll go through more details here. Let’s start off with the mathematical formula for the return to player calculation:

RTP = Total Payouts/Total Wagered  * 100

Here’s an example of a game that, on average, pays out $965 for every $1,000 wagered:

• RTP = 965/1,000 * 100
• RTP = 0.965 * 100
• RTP = 96.5%

Here’s another example, this time featuring a game that pays out $980 for every $1,000 wagered:

• RTP = 980/1,000 * 100
• RTP = 0.980 * 100
• RTP = 98.0%

But, as hinted earlier, RTP doesn’t offer players that much value on its own. Sure, it gives you the average payout rate, but that’s not going to give you proper insight into which game to opt for. And, in the end, there are no guarantees.

That’s the case with all RNG (random number generator) games out there. They’re all based on luck. While they do give players some “control” it’s still a RNG pulling all the strings in the background.

Interpreting RTP Percentages

But, just because there are no guarantees doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep tabs on RTP. 

In my experience, RTP doesn’t mean much for casual gamblers – folks that play a few rounds every week/month. They’re there to have fun and keeping tabs on RTP just doesn’t make sense for their playstyle.

However, if you’re in it to win it, you should definitely opt for slots, crash games, and other casino games with high RTP. Playing high RTP slots could yield a significant difference in your budget over the span of a couple of months.

What exactly is high RTP?

Well, considering the fact most online slots are somewhere around 96%, anything above that can be considered “high RTP”. Playing these games more frequently should, in theory, give a significant boost to your winning potential.

If anything above 96% RTP is high, then 95% to 96% is what I like to call medium. Obviously, anything below that point are low RTP games.

But, I’m not saying you should stay clear of low RTP games. There are quite a few jewels among them. Take Mega Moolah games as the perfect example. Despite having just 88.12% RTP, they are popular due to their high volatility nature (progressive jackpots).

In essence, while RTP is important when choosing a casino game to play, you should also take into account its volatility and other risk-reward dynamics the game brings to the table.

Factors Affecting RTP

RTP percentages are based on several in-game factors tied to the game’s basic mechanics.

These factors include the basic gameplay elements like pay tables and grids, as well as wild/scatter mechanics, bonus features, and the presence of progressive jackpots (or the lack thereof).

Most of these factors fall together in the same basket called “volatility”. It basically represents the frequency and size of wins within that particular game. We typically divide volatility into three segments:

• Low volatility: games with frequent but small wins
• Medium volatility: games with balanced frequency and win size
• High volatility: games with less frequent but hefty wins

Comparing Game RTPs

Let’s make one thing clear right away – there’s no such thing as having the edge over the house. House edge is ever-present! You cannot annihilate it, you can only lower it to give yourself slightly better chances of winning.

But, how to do so? Well, the obvious choice is to compare the RTPs of your favorite games and focus on those that have high RTP percentage. 

If, for example, your favorite games are Book of Dead, Sweet Bonanza, and Deadwood, I’d advise you to shorten the list by opting for the most profitable one(s).

• Book of Dead by Play’n GO – 96.21 RTP
• Sweet Bonanza by Pragmatic Play – 96.5% RTP
• Deadwood by Nolimit City – 96.03% RTP

All three of these games have solid percentages. But, since I have to nitpick here, I’d suggest focusing on Sweet Bonanza if you’re looking to slightly boost your long-term profitability.

Personal Gambling Experience with RTP

Personally, I am a fan of high volatility high RTP slots. That’s my poison. I’m not saying that’s the best approach for everyone, though.

You do you!

Some folks want the thrill provided by high-volatility slots, while others love the continuous entertainment provided by their low-volatility counterparts. 

When I first started exploring RTP, it did affect my game choices. These days, I dedicate half of my sessions to high RTP slots I know and love. The other half is just me trying out random new penny slots.

RTP Myths and Misconceptions

Let’s go through the most common myths and misconceptions on return to player percentages:

🔸 People tend to think a 96% RTP slot is going to return a minimum of $96 for every $100 wagered

Obviously, that’s not the case. The 96% RTP simply means that the game pays out 96% of the wagered money on average. As mentioned earlier, slots are based on luck and nothing else – there are no guarantees!

🔸 Some players think that casinos can manipulate RTP percentages on-the-fly

If you’re using a licensed international casino, you have nothing to worry about. Big brands have to adhere to strict regulations and go through strict audits to ensure provably fair gambling. There’s simply no way they can manipulate RTP to their advantage.

🔸 Hot and Cold Streaks Influence RTP

Some players think that slots with recent hot streaks will pay better. The same goes for the other end of the story – some believe slots with cold streaks will continue paying out in the same fashion. Needless to say, hot and cold streaks are nothing out of the ordinary, but in no way affect the RTP.

Strategies for Utilizing RTP

The strategy for utilizing RTP is pretty straightforward – opt for a balanced experience between a good RTP percentage and your personal preference.

You don’t have to feel obliged to choose only the games with the highest RTP numbers. While it does provide some insight into the game’s potential payouts, what matters more is that you have fun.

That’s why, the key is in balancing out the two extremes. It sounds easy in theory, but just wait and see – sooner or later you’ll realize that balancing them out can be quite tricky. 

Ethical Considerations

We at Winz.io firmly believe that players have the right to know the key characteristics of the games they’re playing, including RTP and volatility.

We don’t hide the numbers – they’re available with just one click of the button. There are other ethical considerations when talking about RTP in gambling. But, transparency is number one!

Furthermore, if you understand the complexity behind RTP and you’d like to gamble responsibly, high RTP slots are the only viable solution. Playing anything below 95% RTP is bound to feel financially irresponsible.

Conclusion

What I’d like to emphasize here is the following – having a balanced perspective is crucial when playing online casino games. Blindly following RTP percentages won’t get you far.

Even if it does boost your winnings, playing casino games will quickly start to feel like a chore… and let’s be real here, you don’t want that.

Instead, you should account for several factors when picking the next casino game to play. These include RTP, volatility, gameplay mechanics, and risk-reward characteristics.

If you choose your next game according to these criteria, not only will you have a greater chance of success, but you’re also likely to have way more fun too!